Big reception for a small Porsche
04/18/2019
Admittedly, a Porsche 911 ST 2.5 from 1972 is not really that small. But compared to a modern 911 or even a Cayenne, it looks very compact. Yet the yellow racing car with chassis number "911 230 0538" is actually a really big car. Otherwise it would not have been driven around the world and shown everywhere over the last two years: Essen, Paris, Le Mans, Laguna Seca, etc. The bright yellow (color code 117) Porsche has made big appearances everywhere. And now it was at the Porsche Classic Center in Zurich/Schlieren, where Stefano Ginesi had invited it to the third Porsche Classic Talk yesterday (April 17, 2019).
And not 60 or 70, as expected, but around 200 Porsche enthusiasts came to hear the story of the rare (24 were built) 911 ST.
Jürgen Barth (who drove the yellow ST at Le Mans and other events) and Marco Marinello (who recognized its authenticity and helped to rebuild it) joined the owner in telling the interesting story of the extraordinary car, which was once bought from the factory by amateur racing driver Michel Keyser to be used as a camera car (film "The Speed Merchants") and as a racing car, among other things. And with some success. Although this 911 ST was not the most successful car in the small series, nor the one with the most race participations, no other ST has such a dazzling history, which is told in the book "Porsche 911 S/T - der schnelle Kamerawagen" by Thomas Imhof. In fact, the yellow ST took part in some of the most important races of the 1972 season, including Sebring, Daytona, Le Mans, the Targa Florio and the Nürburgring. And it achieved top placings and even class victories.
Incidentally, the name "ST" came from the fact that a "T" body was combined with the optimized engine of the "S".
Of course, Jürgen Barth also shared one or two anecdotes, such as that the toilets in Sebring (1972) had no doors and that he now understands that they want to make "America great again".
As is well known, the yellow "Toad Hall Racer" was restored by Porsche at the factory over a period of around two years and returned to its original condition. Anyone who has seen the photos of the wreck found in the USA a few years ago will know that a great deal of work and sensitivity was required. Among other things, the 911 had a G-model front end and the engine had also had to make way for a replacement at some point. Thanks to the cooperation of many enthusiasts and former factory employees, the work of art succeeded in resurrecting the 960 kg 911 ST like the Phoenix from the ashes. Even a true-to-original racing engine (type 901/70, 2492 cm3, 10.3:1 compression ratio, 270 hp at 8000 rpm) was rebuilt from parts that were still available.
The 200 spectators last night were certainly impressed, but they didn't miss out on the pasta cooked to a recipe by Jürgen Barth.
